The influence of plane of feeding in early life on the fertility of gilts

Abstract
SUMMARY The results of a previous experiment suggested that a scale of feeding at about 60% of full-feed level from weaning onwards could result in a high incidence of infertility in gilts, but numbers were insufficient to confirm this. The present trial was carried out, therefore, with 18 Large White gilts per treatment fed to scales rising from either 1·4 lb. meal per day at 36 lb. live-weight to 5·0 lb. at 200 lb. live-weight, or from 1·9 lb. to 6·5 lb. over the same weight range. Average growth rate of the low-plane gilts was 76·5% of that of the medium-plane group but none of the low-plane gilts failed to conceive.